MEGAWATT CAST BRINGS TO LIFE REMARKABLE STORY INSPIRED BY FORMER WHITE HOUSE BUTLER

New York, NY – September 24, 2012 – The Weinstein Company (TWC) announced today that they have acquired U.S. rights from Butler Films to distribute THE BUTLER, directed by Academy Award nominated Lee Daniels (PRECIOUS). A Laura Ziskin Production, THE BUTLER is produced by Pamela Oas Williams, the late Laura Ziskin, Lee Daniels, Buddy Patrick and Cassian Elwes. Executive Producers include Hilary Shor and Adam Merims. It is co-produced by David Jacobson. The announcement was made today by TWC Co-Chairman Harvey Weinstein and COO David Glasser.

THE BUTLER, based on the screenplay by Danny Strong & Lee Daniels, is inspired by Wil Haygood’s Washington Post article about an African-American man who served as a butler (Whitaker) to eight Presidents in the White House for over thirty years. From this unique vantage point, THE BUTLER traces the dramatic changes that swept American society, from the civil rights movement to Vietnam and beyond, and how those changes affected this man’s life and family.

“What moves me most about this man is his quiet nature, grace and unmatched perspective that comes from being in one place – a very powerful one – during what was arguably the period in American history that saw the most change,” said Daniels, whose most recent film, THE PAPERBOY, premiered at the 2012 Cannes and Toronto Film Festivals, and will also be featured in this fall’s New York Film Festival.Said Weinstein, “Lee tells stories in a way no one else does. What struck me most about this story is the perspective it comes from, which in this case is the butler- a man who was a fly on the wall for decades in the world’s most powerful home. It takes an unbelievable cast like the one that’s in place to do this story justice, and we are proud to be given the chance to share this story with the world.”

Added Williams, “This has been a passion project for all involved and we are thrilled to be able to see Laura Ziskin’s vision for this film realized and know it will be a lasting tribute to her incredible career.”

TWC and Butler Films made the deal based on the screenplay by Strong & Daniels. The deal was negotiated by TWC’s Glasser and President, Business and Legal Affairs Andrew Kramer, and by Schuyler Moore of Stroock & Stroock & Lavan, Cassian Elwes on behalf of Evolution Independent, and CAA on behalf of Butler Films.

As previously announced, THE BUTLER marks a high-profile return to production for Icon UK Group, who also came in as major investors on the project. Len Blavatnik, Aviv Giladi and Vince Holden will also serve as Executive Producers.

CAA packaged the film and is handling North American sales along with Cassian Elwes. The film is being represented by IM Global for international sales.

ABOUT THE WEINSTEIN COMPANY

The Weinstein Company (TWC) is a multimedia production and distribution company launched in October 2005 by Bob and Harvey Weinstein, the brothers who founded Miramax Films in 1979. TWC also encompasses Dimension Films, the genre label founded in 1993 by Bob Weinstein, which has released such popular franchises as SCREAM, SPY KIDS and SCARY MOVIE. Together TWC and Dimension Films have released a broad range of mainstream, genre and specialty films that have been commercial and critical successes. TWC releases took home eight 2012 Academy Awards®, the most wins in the studio’s history. The tally included Best Picture for Michel Hazanavicius’s THE ARTIST and Best Documentary Feature for TJ Martin and Dan Lindsay’s UNDEFEATED. THE ARTIST brought TWC its second consecutive Best Picture statuette following the 2011 win for Tom Hooper’s THE KING’S SPEECH.

Since 2005, TWC and Dimension Films have released such films as GRINDHOUSE; I’M NOT THERE; THE GREAT DEBATERS; VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA; THE READER; THE ROAD; HALLOWEEN; THE PAT TILLMAN STORY; PIRANHA 3D; INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS; A SINGLE MAN; BLUE VALENTINE; THE COMPANY MEN; MIRAL; SCRE4M; SUBMARINE; DIRTY GIRL; APOLLO 18; OUR IDIOT BROTHER; I DON’T KNOW HOW SHE DOES IT; SARAH’S KEY; SPY KIDS: ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD IN 4D; MY WEEK WITH MARILYN; THE IRON LADY; W.E.; CORIOLANUS; UNDEFEATED; THE ARTIST; BULLY; and EASY MONEY. Currently in release are THE MASTER; THE INTOUCHABLES; and LAWLESS. Upcoming releases include WAR OF THE BUTTONS; KILLING THEM SOFTLY; THIS MUST BE THE PLACE; SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK; and DJANGO UNCHAINED.

TWC is also active in television production, led by former Miramax Films President of Production and current President of Television Meryl Poster, with credits including the Emmy® nominated and Peabody Award winning reality series Project Runway, spin-off series Project Runway All Stars and Project Accessory, the VH1 reality series Mob Wives, spin-off series Big Ang and Mob Wives: Chicago, and the critically acclaimed HBO comedy/crime series The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency which also received a Peabody Award. The company is currently in pre-production on the martial-arts epic Marco Polo for Starz. TWC additionally has 17 series in different stages of development, including The Nanny Diaries, being adapted for ABC by Amy Sherman Palladino (Gilmore Girls).